Kimberley Dynamiters score three unanswered to win 3-2 over Fernie Ghostriders

Photo by Jonathan Righton. Chabot and Langelaar hold the shoot-to-win board, the fan rattled it off the centre hole.

It is that time of the year, the Holiday rivalry series between the Fernie Ghostriders and the Kimberley Dynamiters. I've said it before, and I will say it again, it is the best rivalry in the KIJHL.

Game Notes

• There are mixed reports about the status of captain Richter. Taylor reports that he will miss the duration of the season, while Jim who does the webcast says you could expect him in the lineup any day. Time will tell.
• A Fernie player missed the first portion of the game due to forgetting his equipment in Fernie. Someone was brave enough to take on the roads and bring him his equipment.
• Speaking of braving the roads, 1,019 fans were in attendance at the game. Fans, parents and alumni made it out.
• Tyson Brouwer started off against Jeff Orser.
• Fernie was without Cole Keebler.

1st

This game started off physical, with shots behind the play and a lot of chirping. Kimberley got the first PP chance of the game but couldn't solve Orser and the Riders PK unit. Fernie was first to get on the board, and they followed it up later with a PP goal. The riders had a commanding 2-0 lead in the first 1/6th of the game. Kimberley had their chances, but they couldn't beat Orser. That was until on the PK, Meier from the Nitro's blueline teed up a shot, Orser went into the butterfly, and the puck went through the wickets. That's a goal that nightmares are made of. The fans road him the rest of the night as Kimberley tried a couple of other times to fire shots on net from their side of centre. When I chatted with the goal-judge he said he was so surprised that he had to remind himself to hit the light. The highlight save came from a feed from Doell to Benson, and Orser flashed the pads. The period ended 2-1 for Fernie. Shots were 12 a piece.

2nd

The penalties kept coming. Buckley, imo, was on the bad end of being called and having nothing called against him. To the point where he was creamed with 19 seconds left in the period, and lay on the ice for over a minute. No penalty was called. This period had it's chances on both sides, but Orser and Brouwer kept the nets sealed. Shots were 12-8 for Kimberley as the score remained the same.

3rd

Kimberley kept pushing to level the game up. Marchi had one great chance, and then later followed it up with the game tying goal. Haase and Trevor Van Steinburg also had great chances but were unable to get the Nitro's the lead. Then the penalties started as Marchi sat for spearing, the Doell drew penalties as he drove in, SH'ed past the Fernie D. We skated 4-a-side for the second time in the game, lots of ice available. Benson fired a shot off the post, and Brouwer made a break away save, this game remained tied. Then as the period entered it's twilight, Buckley, who had taken a lot of abuse during the game, was being punished as he parked himself in front of the net, and fought his way to put in a rebound, the best revenge to score. Buckley's goal was the eventual GWG despite Fernie's attempts as they pulled the goalie with two minutes left. Shots this period were 13-7 for Kimberley.

This game sets up Tuesday's tilt between the two teams as they face-off in Fernie.

Dynamite Player of the Game

Eric Buckley - Heaps of #BecauseItsBuckley moments that he overcame to score the GWG, also had an A.

Honorable Mentions

Justin Meier - 1G 1A

Further Reading

Boxscore

Taylor Rocca article